


marching bands of manhattan

by aukusti



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Ficlet Collection, M/M, idk i need to let these out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2020-12-17 09:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21052463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aukusti/pseuds/aukusti
Summary: small instances frozen in time





	1. of the same vein

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have many things to say in few words. this is ongoing until i say so
> 
> title is a death cab for cutie song

Eiji made it easy.

Made it easy to feel at ease, to sleep, to forget.  
He doesn’t think he’s ever felt as light as when they’re together. He doesn’t deserve it, he knows, but being anywhere else is bad for Eiji, bad for him, and even though the mantra in his head told him he was _badbadbad_—

“Ash?”

The sun filtered in through partially closed blinds in their bedroom. The sound of people going about their day ten floors below was inescapable, every corner of New York City thrumming with life. Eiji was trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes, bringing a hand up to cover a yawn as he did so. Part of his hair was flat from where he had been pressed against Ash’s shoulder, the other sticking up at some odd angles. _Cute_.

“Hey, sleepyhead.” His hand went to Eiji’s cheek, swiping his thumb under his eyes gently when they fluttered shut. “It’s early, you know.”

Eiji huffed, keeping his eyes closed as he placed his hand over Ash’s. “You’re awake, so I am too.”

He was pretty sure Eiji was going to fall back asleep sitting up though, hand still warm on his where he was touching his cheek. It was hard not to smile, to push him back down gently and his smile only got softer as Eiji let himself be guided, instinctively going back to his usual spot by Ash’s side.

His hand always came to curl on top of Ash’s heart, the steady _thumpthumpthump_ under his skin a melody that played back again and again for him, only.


	2. phototropism

Ash sneezes just as Eiji walks towards their table, tucked away in a corner of a warm coffee shop they were crowded into when it started to pour.

He’s grumbling about something; Eiji can tell from the scrunch of his brows and the pout on his lips.

Laying down two cups, one coffee and the other tea, they haven’t even made contact with the table for more than a second before Ash takes one greedily.

“Stupid weather,” he grumbles. “I hate April.”

Eiji tries to bite back a smile to no avail. “What did April ever do to you?”

Ash scoffs, taking a long sip of coffee he’s sure is too hot. “Exist. It exists, Eiji. And now I’m cold and wet because of it.”

_Like a cat_, Eiji thinks. He stretches his arm across the table, palm facing upwards. Ash places his own hand in Eiji’s, giving it a small squeeze. They moved on muscle memory alone, leaning into each other the way plants would reach upwards to the sun.


	3. take me home

Driving through the countryside was peaceful. Eiji didn’t even know New York could be quiet, having gotten used to bright lights and being alert all the time and the way it smelled after a gun was fired and—

“Eiji,” Ash said, a hand coming off the steering wheel to land on his shoulder to squeeze it lightly. “I can hear you thinking.” 

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. Turning away from the window, he nudged Ash’s arm into his lap, holding his hand with both of his. “Are we still far?” 

Ash glanced at him, all soft eyes and a smile he knew was reserved for him before turning his attention back to the green expanse beyond the window shield. “Yeah, we’re still far. Take a nap.”

The corners of Eiji’s mouth twitched downward. “You nap too, then.”

“Driving.”

“Then stop driving.”

“Eiji, I can’t just stop—”

“I will wait,” he said, even though he slumped back into his seat and moved to keep looking out the window. 

“Yeah,” Ash said. His voice was quiet and his hand was warm where it was still being held by Eiji. “Yeah, okay.”


	4. sweater weather

“I got you something,” Eiji says, pulling a bag from behind him and placing it in front of Ash.

Ash visibly softens as he opens it, pulling out a grey crewneck. “You didn’t have to.”

“I did,” Eiji declares, scooting forward. Their knees bump together. “And you know why?”

Glancing up, Eiji’s eyes are gleaming with something like mischief. Ash raises a brow and warily chances, “Why?”

“Because it’s made of boyfriend material.” His smile is cheeky, hand reaching up to cup Ash’s face. “Like you.”

“Actually,” Ash says, trying to ignore the rising heat in his cheeks. He pulls the tag out of the sweater and hums. “It says it’s made of 91% cotton and 9% polyester. Boyfriend material isn’t real, Eiji, do the Japanese not know th—“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is smth from my notes and the way it ended is: [eiji fucking pummels ash] so thank u for reading


	5. as seen on television

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome shorter

“Wait,” Eiji says, and he’s frowning so deeply it nearly makes Ash burst into laughter. “Wait... so you’re saying that—”

“Eiji.” Ash is practically wheezing from the effort of trying not to laugh. “Eiji, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“But _you_ didn’t say it!” Eiji’s voice is full of an urgency he hasn’t heard in a while. “Shorter did!”

Shorter, who is actually far gone from trying to hold his laughter in, and is doubled over on the floor. He laughs harder, clutching his sides and shaking his head rapidly, only letting out, “I _can’t_,” before laughing some more.

“Shorter Wong, so help me God,” Eiji snaps, face burning fiercely as he pouts. Shorter looks at him and _howls_.

“It’s okay,” Ash forces out, pinching his thigh so he’d have something to focus on beyond his own wheezing. “Eiji, it’s okay.”

“But it isn’t,” Eiji mumbles, and then says more clearly, “What do you mean people don’t love each other in porn?”

Ash lets out an embarrassing _pfft_ noise and that does it for him, laughter spilling out of him in waves. Eiji’s face gets redder with the noise, and Shorter is slapping the ground as he tries to catch his breath.

Ash reaches for him with one hand, the other covering his mouth as his shoulders shake incessantly. Eiji stands up in a huff, away from Ash’s reach. “You are both going to regret this tonight,” he promises, before going off into his and Ash’s shared room. The door slams shut behind him.

They look at the door and then at each other, and a new fit of laughter gets a hold of them both.

It takes a few minutes for both of them to calm down, color high on their cheeks. “Wait,” Shorter says, brows furrowed. His sunglasses are perched on his head. “What does he mean?”

“Shorter,” Ash asks slowly, sobering up quickly. “Don’t tell me it’s Wednesday.”

Shorter pulls out his phone from where it had fallen underneath him. He stays quiet before saying, “We’re not having dinner, are we, Ash.”

“Uh.” Ash coughs into his hand. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i cant stop thinking about 'what do you mean people dont love each other in porn' and who says this in what pairing  
anyway they have turns on who makes dinner on what night. eiji be like *leaves them to die*  
find me on twitter! @saeyoungchoi


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